Disclaimer: Not mine
There's a second version of this up, My Robin No More which changes who dies in Ethiopia in case you missed it.
There's also a poll up on ffnet for this version and the reunion between Tim and Jason, please vote.
4th playthrough of Gotham Knights – got my first Legendary suit and I fought my first most wanted, who was easier to beat then the normal guys with him.
Chapter 8
Bruce stared into the cell at the monster who had killed his son. Once again, he was back where he belonged, behind bars. He was a mess after the helicopter crash, still hooked up to machines, but in a cell in Arkham. And there was evidence that he was behind Harvey's scheme that had brought a building down on Batman and Nightwing. Thankfully, no one had spotted Robin that night.
He still wanted the monster dead but he knew, he couldn't do it. He couldn't cross that line, he couldn't.
,
Tim stared at the screen, hesitating. It wasn't something that Batman would do or agree with but…he'd killed Jason, brutally. This was different to hanging around or even training with his Aunts, this…this was cold-blooded murder. Hiring Deathstroke was insane…so why was he staring at the data to send the man? Robin couldn't do this but Tim wasn't Robin yet.
How many people had Joker killed, maimed, or left mentally damaged for life? He was a monster and he would never change. Harley had, she'd taken a chance when it was offered and worked to make herself better. But Joker… he shuddered.
Tim took a deep breath and pressed the button. It was done, if the man accepted the offer. Getting the money for the hit hadn't been too hard. He and Mother both squirrelled funds away for the time when they could get away from Jack, but it wasn't enough to pay for someone of Deathstroke's calibre. So, he'd done something very illegal and hacked some rather illegal businesses to get the rest.
He got up and forced himself to go about his day rather than sit and wait for either confirmation, a request to negotiate, or a denial. Honestly, he didn't think the man would outright deny the offer, then again, surely others had tried to hire him to kill such a monster?
Three hours later he was staring at a confirmation message, so he sent the first payment. The final would be sent once there was confirmation of a kill. He felt…fine? Because of him a man was going to die, be executed. But how many lives would that one death spare? Shouldn't he feel worse about paying for the Joker to die? It was simple math.
,
He carefully took aim at the figure tied up in the plaza. He understood why it had been detailed to be done in public. There would be no covering his death up. Honestly, it was a surprise no one had hired him for this job years ago. And with a single bullet to the chest, the Joker was dead. He'd take a headshot but the corpse needed to be easily identifiable. He ignored the screaming people and left his sniper's position. Breaking the man out of Arkham, sedated, then setting up the scene overnight had been simple. No one had even realised the Joker was missing till he was seen tied up and waiting. Which gave him time until a certain Bat arrived.
By the time they did, he was long gone. And two hours later, the final payment had arrived.
,
Dick stared at the body in shock. It…it was really him. There was no hint at who had done it, they were good, very good. A hired hit seemed the most likely and with how many people wanted the Joker dead, it would be hard to trace. Honestly…so long as no one else died, Dick didn't want to try to trace it. The biggest threat to Robin, to all of them, was gone now. He'd been terrified of Tim going out as Robin and running into him.
Jason…Jason could rest in peace now. He took a deep, steadying breath, and then looked at where B was still staring at the body. Tests would need to be done to be positive but everything pointed to it being the Joker so far. How would Bruce take it? He had tried to kill him in New York but hadn't made a move against him since, even since he was found and dumped back in Arkham. Instead, he just beat people and tried to get himself killed.
Now that Joker was dead, Bruce might be more accepting of a new Robin though.
,
Selina lounged back as Harley danced about the room. Who could blame her though with her tormentor dead now. It was official, all the tests said the body was really the Joker. She'd heard the whispers, that Deathstroke had been spotted in town, which meant someone had paid him for the job. It could be one of a thousand people and yet… she glanced at where Tim was working on something with Ivy.
Something about the Kitten's reaction to it all…and that was why it was better for him to be under the Bat's wing, to keep him firmly on the capes side. And she knew it was likely their fault that he had worked out how to reach out to Deathstroke. But he had only hired him for one kill so that was good. If Tim was going to have anyone killed, it would be the Joker. The boy might not see it…but she had seen his crush on Jason. To have the boy he liked, whether he realised it or not, his hero, killed like that… she wouldn't mention her suspicions to anyone.
He might be training as Robin but he had been theirs first and they would protect him as much as they could. But she wouldn't forget either, she would watch and make sure he didn't find such actions too easy in the future. She hoped Bruce never found out, who knew what he would do if he did.
,
Tim hesitantly let Dick into the Manor, it made sense to do some training there, it had a lot more space than Dick's apartment or even his tiny work base in Blüdhaven. They'd have to be careful though, if anything was damaged…
"So, you've got this place to yourself?"
"Mrs Mac comes by with food and does the cleaning. I'm thirteen Dick, I don't need a babysitter. And my parents will be home for when school starts."
"It's…roomy."
Tim snorted, unable to help it. "It's a museum," or a mausoleum. Sometimes it felt like that more than a home. He hated it but it was his home so what could he do? Was it surprising he spent so much time at his Aunt's or on the streets when this was what he had to come home too?
"Well, let's get to work," Dick grinned at him and Tim showed him a guest room so he could get changed.
The priceless artifacts actually came in handy; they were very good incentive for getting blocks and dodges right. How many times did Gotham museums get raided, and not just be Selina? It would be bad to fight in one and destroy everything.
,
Janet smiled at the sight of Timothy waiting for them, dressed in slacks and a shirt, his hair neatly combed though a little longer than Jack preferred.
"Welcome home Father, Mother," he greeted.
"Get the bags," Jack ordered.
She met Tim's eyes and he shot her a small smile even as he moved to obey. He was growing up so quickly now. Soon the luggage was inside and she sat back in a chair with a glass of wine to relax.
"When did you last cut your hair?" Jack demanded.
"I have an appointment tomorrow, Father. I wanted it to look its best for the first day of school."
Jack grunted, accepting the answer.
"Have you got everything for when school begins?" she asked, and Tim nodded.
"Yes Mother."
"We should have signed him up for the Academy if he's not going to a boarding school," Jack grumbled.
"The commute is simply too far and Heights has excellent programs as well, Jack."
She looked at her son who nodded, good, he had already worked out the necessary bus route. If he was to attend Gotham Academy, they would either have to hire a driver, which Jack would not agree to, or Tim would be leaving home at half past five in the morning which she did not agree to. Children needed to be well rested to remain in good health and to grow…though it seemed he hadn't inherited either of their height, unless he was going to be a late bloomer. No, Tim appeared to take after her own mother more, and she had never been overly tall.
It was good to be home for a few days, she didn't miss Gotham but she missed her son. Janet was glad that she'd convinced Jack to come back for Tim's start to high school. It was an important event, especially since he'd skipped a grade. He shared all of the recent gossip with her as they headed into the city for his haircut. He looked a little sad at losing all the length so she spoke to the stylist, happy when Tim's eyes widened slightly at the end.
"You're old enough now for it to be allowable," she told him as they left.
It wasn't long enough to get Jack on his back about it either. A child should be allowed to show some of their personality through how they dressed and their hair after all. And longer hair seemed to be popular among boys his age, even among the wealthy.
Their talk moved from gossip to his photography and even skateboarding. She was not fond of the hobby but it did keep him active which was good. And it gave him another method of getting around too.
But she was no fool, her son had changed since the last time she had seen him and she knew why. Even overseas she had heard the news of Jason Todd-Wayne's death. She was aware of her son's fascination with the Wayne family and honestly, there were far worse families for Tim to admire. People Tim knew had died before, it was Gotham after all, but none had been so close to him in age. She felt sorry for Bruce, to lose a son so young. If it had been Timothy…
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It was nice, not having to rush for a bus on his first day. He kept his distance from his father though, the man had not been happy with his new haircut. He was pretty sure he'd heard them yelling after he went to bed. His phone vibrated and he carefully pulled it out to check, smiling at the messages from Dick and Selina, wishing him luck for his first day. The made it to the school and Tim took a deep breath, this was it.
"We've got a one o'clock fight kiddo, we'll see you in a few months," Jack stated, and Tim froze, what?
He saw Mother's surprise, quickly hidden, so she hadn't known either. He fought back the hate towards his own father for doing this. "Yes sir. Have a good trip. Goodbye Mother."
"Goodbye Timothy; do well in class," she smiled.
Then he was out of the car, watching it drive away.
,
"Bruce?" Dick asked as he walked into the cave.
"You've been training the boy."
"I offered him Robin, he took time to think it over, and then said yes. He's already got a lot of the basics down from sneaking around the city, plus some classes over the years."
"How can you even consider it?" Bruce growled.
"Because he's right!" Dick snapped. "I hate it, but he's right. Batman needs Robin. And I think…Tim needs us too. Yesterday was his first day of high school…his parents had a 1pm flight out of the country. He's scary smart Bruce, probably smarter than even you and he has the instincts for this. Imagine if someone else got their hands on him? If Luthor notices him at a gala or something?"
That was Dick's worse nightmare honestly. What Tim could be made into by someone like Luthor or worse, Ra's. It wasn't why he had given the kid Robin, that wouldn't be fair to Tim. But it would give Tim something to keep him on the right side, as much as a vigilante could be on the side of the law given how many laws they tended to break in a night.
"He still needs a lot of training but he's ready for computer case work, he could even handle comms. Give him a chance Bruce. He's not looking to replace Jason, no one can do that. But he can be the new partner you need."
"Bring him on Saturday," Bruce grunted, turning away.
Dick sighed in relief, step one was done. He knew that once Bruce saw how brilliant Tim was, he'd be drawn to the kid. He got his phone out, sending the message to Tim.
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Harley smirked and ruffled messy black hair, it'd been cut since school had started up, shorter than it had been but still long enough to mess with. Al whined at her but then relaxed as she began gently scratching his scalp. "Poor little sapling," she cooed.
Robin training plus school and now apparently, he was being presented to Batman tomorrow for an assessment. No wonder he was exhausted. Ivy picked up one of his hands and began working on his nails.
"You must look your best to meet the Bat," she told Alvin, who just blinked sleepily.
He was doing better at least, the training and school forcing him to move forward rather than dwelling on his Robin's death. And sometimes she wondered…who had hired Deathstroke? They all knew Alvin came from money, but enough for that? Then again, he could probably get his hands on it from other sources if needed. But she would never ask because what she didn't know, she couldn't tell.
,
Bruce watched as Dick led young Timothy Drake into the Batcave, taking the time to truly study the boy in the way he had been too emotional to do the last time. He was short and slender but there was muscle hidden under the loose-fitting clothing. And…his nails were painted green. Interesting but not really relevant. He moved lightly on his feet, proving he did have some level of gymnastic training since Dick moved similarly. Dick was talking to him, Tim leaning in and Bruce threw the batarang, testing. The kid dropped even as Dick caught it.
"Seriously Bruce?" Dick demanded.
"Passable," he grunted. The boy had detected the attack despite his attention being on Dick. That kind of awareness took years to learn, then again, he'd been following them for how long?
"Tim?" Dick looked to the boy who was now standing upright again.
"I'm fine." He brushed himself down and then looked at Bruce. "What's next?"
"Bruce not being an ass," Dick muttered, leading Tim towards the training area.
For the start, Bruce watched as Dick put the boy through his paces and…he hated to admit it but Dick was right, the boy was good.
,
Alfred didn't know what to think of young Mister Tim…and he was young, only thirteen. And yet that made him older than both Master Richard and dear Jason. It was hard to think of that because he was smaller than they had been at his age. Too small…it seemed the boarding schools he had attended needed some teaching on the proper feeding of children. The Drake's, while not the tallest of families, were also not considered short.
He could see Miss Kyle's style in the way the child moved but also hints of other styles…even some of Master Bruce's. That suggested an ability to observe and learn that was quite incredible. One that would be very useful for Robin.
He hated the thought of another child out there in Robin's colours but Master Bruce needed someone to hold him back. It shouldn't be needed; he should have better control. Had he failed him in some way? He should have been raised by a loving family, not a man held back by their positions. Maybe then, he wouldn't have taken up the crusade.
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Tim knelt at the grave, laying some flowers. "Hi Jason," he murmured. "I miss you," he whispered. He traced the letters on the stone gently. "Bruce is still fighting taking me on but Dick's on board. I think Alfred is too. I…I don't want to be Robin, you're Robin. But you're gone now and B needs someone. Batman and Robin are a symbol now," he explained softly. "I wish…I wish that I'd been brave enough to tell you the truth. And I'm sorry, I should have dug more, found your plane ticket…something."
He could have saved Jason, he could have.
"I'll keep B alive, until he finds a real Robin. No one suspects…but I know, I might not have pulled the trigger but I paid for it. I have no right to be Robin after that, but there's no one else yet." He stood, brushing the grass from his pants. "Goodbye."
He left the grave and headed home. Tomorrow would be his first training session with Bruce. He was nervous but also a little excited to learn from Batman himself. He made it home and stuck a pre-prepared meal in the microwave before doing his homework and heading to bed.
,
Ivy watched as Batman beat up some thugs, nodding to herself. It appeared Alvin was already having an effect on the man, even when he wasn't patrolling yet. They had barely seen the boy since he began training, but they had Selina's secure phone to keep updated on his life. She slipped away and headed home but ended up stepping in to stop an assault on a young woman. Men. Alvin was different to most though, a bright child who respected the environment and just wanted to help people.
,
Bruce watched as Tim flipped around the bar, not as technically perfect as Dick obviously but his movements were sure and fluid. How had they never noticed him following them? How many times had Tim nearly died in doing so before he got this good. Because Tim's movements showed the kind of practice found in real life and not in a gym. J…Jason had saved him when he'd been hanging from a beam…how many times had the boy saved himself? Reckless.
He didn't want a Robin, didn't want to bring another child into the life but…Timothy knew their identities, knew where the Cave was. Better to keep him close. Though training him was not easy, brought up too many memories. Perhaps a training trip to those Bruce had studied under? They would know better how to train someone so small. It was very obvious that Tim had a different build to both of his predecessors. Though, that would mean waiting until next summer or having him miss school. His parents might be travelling but surely, they would notice if he was out of school for that long.
TBC…
Did Tim do his overseas training before or after his Mum died? If before, how was he able to be gone for what, weeks? Months? Without anyone realising?